Cambridge Outlook

Cambridge International Outlook: Issue 6

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Facts and figures: more than 4000 schools across the world, including more than 200 UK schools, teach Cambridge IGCSE

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Recognition

Recognition > Detailed information about the AICE and Pre AICE Curriculum Continuum

About AICE

The Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Diploma program is administered and assessed by University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE), a not–for–profit department of the world renowned University of Cambridge in the UK . CIE offers a wide range of academic and vocational qualifications in more than 150 countries.

AICE is an international pre–university curriculum and examination system, which emphasizes the value of broad and balanced study for academically able students. Its strengths lie in the flexibility and structure of the curriculum encouraging in–depth, working knowledge of each subject, and in essay–based examinations as assessment of that knowledge and skill mastery.

AICE courses are equivalent to those offered at US university freshmen level or beyond. Routes to the AICE Diploma are extremely flexible and offer students the opportunity to tailor their studies to their individual interests, abilities and future plans within an international curriculum framework.

The AICE program was piloted and studied by the Florida Department of Education for four years in three Florida school districts and since 2001 has been approved for use in any Florida school district looking for an inexpensive, flexible advanced academic program for grades 11 and 12. In order to offer these and other CIE assessments schools must register with CIE as Examination Centers.

Pre–AICE Education – IGCSE

The optional pre–AICE curriculum program, called the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), was developed in 1985 to meet the need for an internationally focused curriculum appropriate for a wide range of student ability.

IGCSE is suitable for grades 9 and 10 and features over 50 subjects with end of course, international criterion–referenced, externally assessed examinations as well. While schools offering AICE subjects are not required to also offer IGCSE courses, students are expected to have mastered the IGCSE level of study and skills in a subject before beginning an AICE subject course.

Most IGCSE subjects are offered at two levels: extended and core. The extended level is for students planning to progress to AICE or other college level equivalent courses in grades 11 and 12. The core level of IGCSE is suitable for a wider range of ability student. Students at the core level may find during their course of study that they are actually able to move up to the higher, extended level of IGCSE study and continue on to the AICE program. This possibility opens doors for previously unidentified advanced students.

Pre–AICE Education – Lower Secondary and Primary Education

For middle schools, CIE offers the Cambridge Checkpoint three–year curricula for three subjects: Math, Science and English with externally written formative and summative assessments. In addition, the Cambridge Primary Program curricula and formative Progression and summative Achievement assessments in Math, Science and English may be used starting in the first grade.

Skills development and assessment

The Primary, Lower Secondary, core and extended levels of IGCSE, AS and A Levels in AICE all emphasize the development of higher order thinking skills, oral skills, writing skills, problem solving, real world applications, independent investigative skills, teamwork, and international understanding. Assessment methods include written examinations, laboratory practicals for the science subjects, oral and listening tests for the languages, and coursework projects. These examination papers are sent to Cambridge for marking. While teachers are free to develop their own lesson plans based upon AICE subject syllabuses, the variety of CIE assessment methods promotes the use of all these methods in the classroom.

The Advanced International Certification of Education Curriculum for High School Diploma

Section 1003.428, F.S. effective 2007–08 defines the options for earning a A++ Plan High School Diploma: Graduation requires successful completion of either a minimum of 24 academic credits in grades 9 through 12, an International Baccalaureate curriculum, or an Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) curriculum. The components of the AICE curriculum that meet this requirement are as follows:

AICE subjects

Within AICE, there are over 50 subjects from three curriculum areas:

Most subjects may be studied at either the Advanced (A) Level, which has been offered worldwide for over 50 years, or at the Advanced Subsidiary (AS) Level.

A Level examinations generally require two years (360 hours) of study in a subject while AS Level examinations cover the first year (180 hours) of the two–year A Level syllabuses. Students are allowed to choose specific subjects and levels of study for each.

It is possible to take the AS Level examination one year and then continue study in that subject and take the remaining examination papers (called A2) required for an A Level examination the following year. Alternatively, students may opt to wait until after the second year of study to take all the examination papers at the A Level. Other students may choose to study a subject for a year and be assessed only at the AS Level and then select a different subject to study and be assessed at the AS Level the following year.

Completion of the AICE curriculum would require students to complete six AICE courses and take the examinations for each with at least one course and examination being from each of the three subject areas: Mathematics & Sciences, Languages, and Arts & Humanities.

In the AICE Diploma qualification scheme, AS Level examinations passed earn one credit and each A Level examination passed counts for two credits. In addition, there is a Research Project option worth one credit, which requires a student to write two essays of between 3000 and 3500 words each from two different subjects for which AS or A Level examinations are taken. Students pursuing a full AICE Diploma must earn a total of six credits and include at least one subject examination from each of the three curriculum areas at either AS or A Level.

The AICE Diploma is awarded at Distinction, Merit or Pass level depending on the passing grades earned on the AICE subject examinations. For AICE exams, the CIE passing letter grades range from A to E with A being the highest. The lowest passing grade of E is equivalent to a US grade of C or a 3 on an Advanced Placement examination. Students may take up to 13 months to earn the six credits required for an AICE Diploma. Students who do not qualify for an AICE Diploma will receive AS or A Level General Certificate of Education (GCE) subject certificates for the subject examinations they passed. Students who complete the AICE curriculum will be provided with the best possible foundation for advanced post secondary studies anywhere in the world.

AICE Exams and College Credits

Both AS and A Levels are considered college level courses of study and students passing these examinations with a Cambridge grade of E or higher may receive up to 30 hours of college credit or advanced standing based on their scores in these examinations from universities throughout the United States and all public universities and colleges in Florida. Credit is typically awarded based on each subject and examination grade earned.

AICE Diploma and Curriculum completion to qualify for Florida Bright Futures Scholarships

Students who have earned an AICE Diploma and completed an approved 75 hour community service program automatically qualify for the Florida Academic Scholars Award (100% tuition) from the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program. Students who complete the AICE curriculum (see above curriculum definition) with best composite score of 1270 SAT or 28 ACT and 75 hours of community service will also receive the Florida Academic Scholars Award. Students who have completed AICE curriculum with best composite score of 970 SAT or 20 ACT and 75 hours community service will receive the Florida Medallion Scholars Award (75% tuition) from the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program.

How to find out more

For additional information about the AICE program, please contact CIE’s US Representative, Sherry Reach, at 850.230.4770 M–F 9–5 CST or email cieusrep@comcast.net

To see a list of subjects, downloadable syllabuses and sample examination papers please visit the CIE website at www.cie.org.uk/countries/usa (which takes you to the CIE USA web page) and click on ‘Qualifications & Diplomas’ on the left–side menu then select the link to IGCSE, AS & A Level, or CIE Specialisms to find out more information about Checkpoint, or the Cambridge International Primary Programme.